Theirs
by atruwriter
Summary: Hermione Granger's life takes an entirely different path when she enters Hogwarts a year early and is befriended by a couple of pranksters who know something she doesn't that will very much effect their future together. GW/HG/FW
1. Part One

**Title**: Theirs  
**Music**: My Best Friend - Tim McGraw  
**Genre**: Friendship/Romance  
**Relationship**: Fred/Hermione/George  
**Disclaimer**: I own NOTHING!  
**Important Note(s)**: AU means Alternate Universe, for those of you who _don't _know. In essence, while the HP books still stand, there will of course be tweaks made by me. Hermione Granger, by JK Rowling's books, entered Hogwarts at eleven, but because of her birthday being **Septmber 9th** it wasn't very far into her first year that she was actually _**twelve**. _In this story, she starts school at **ten** and therefore turns eleven while at Hogwarts, meaning that Harry and Ron will be a year _below _her while the twins are one year _above _her.  
_Yes_, this is a Hermione/Twin story. It will put in the ground-work of their friendship long before emotions get in the way. Meaning the first while is just Hermione, Fred and George as friends, but romance **will **ensue. So if you don't like threesome stories, I suggest you stop reading. There will be sexual content later on!  
**Summary**: (AU) Hermione Granger's life takes an entirely different path when she enters Hogwarts a year early and is befriended by a couple of pranksters who know something she doesn't that will very much effect their future together.

**Part One**

Hermione Jane Granger, born a Muggle and introduced to the incredible world of magic when she was just ten years old, had never imagined her life turning out quite like this. Before entering Hogwarts School for the Magically Gifted, she read every possible book she could find to update herself on the culture she'd be entering, certain that she would not step into her new roll as witch lightly. From a young age, she had done everything in her power to be as knowledgeable as she could in every subject there was and she had grown to be a very intelligent but rather unusual child for her age. So it came as no surprise when her parents and she found out that she was far more than the average person. When it came to her attention that she was a witch, many light bulbs had been switched on, and she took to it rather excitedly. A whole new life, a new world, a new range of subjects and theories and topics for her to dive into head first and immerse herself in and she had done so with the greatest enjoyment.

"Hermione, pumpkin, you do realize what this means?" her father asked, his brow crinkled with worry.

"Yes, of course, daddy..." She lifted her nose as she often did when she was quite certain of something, acting much haughtier than any ten year old should.

Her parents exchanged a look.

"You'll be spending almost all of your time at school, dear... We'll only get to see you during breaks." Her mother looked down, chewing her lip.

Hermione's nose was no longer in the air. If she were to be honest, that _wasn't _what she had been thinking at all. Her parents were her anchors; they were there to always remind her that she was not, in fact, unusual but instead special. She was bright for her age, and they loved her no matter what she was.

"Well, I suppose it wouldn't be _horrible _if I stayed home and continued regular schooling..." She couldn't keep her disappointment from her voice.

"Oh _no!_" Her father shook his head vehemently. "You have a _gift, _Hermione. When have we ever hindered that? You _must _go, we just... We want you to understand what it means. You'll be all alone, pumpkin. You'll make friends, I'm sure." He grinned. "Who couldn't love you?" He reached out, tapping her nose as he had since she was much smaller. His smile wavered with a sigh. "You'll be very far away though and we don't have the same abilities..." He readjusted his glasses, gaze falling to the floor.

"I'll write every day," she declared, nodding sternly. "And I'll visit you as much as I can!"

They smiled at her, proud once more and she felt the warmth fill her stomach just as it had when the letter first arrived.

She was going to become a true and real _witch!_

On her first day of school, she was younger than most. Her birthday didn't fall until September 19th and so she was ten and not eleven when she stepped off the Hogwarts Express to be met by a large and rather loud man with a beard of scruff and a booming laugh. She saw the others cower some but as she gazed up at this man who looked like what a giant might from her many childhood books, she could somehow tell that he was anything but mean. And as he bent low, not wanting to scare them off with his towering figure, and told them all to follow him, she caught a glimpse of his large kind eyes. His name was Hagrid and she found herself likening his large beard and hair to her own and for that reason she decided she liked him. A completely illogical thought at the time and she'd surely tell herself so later, but instead she stiffened her shoulders, grabbed her trunk and followed along behind Hagrid while the rest of her classmates watched on in uncertainty.

Hogwarts was amazing, even more incredible than all of the dreams and hopes her mind had built it up to be. She was giddy to learn things that nobody back home would ever know. Sorted into Gryffindor, she took her position very seriously and she did her best to stand up to the definition of her house. But while she portrayed an outwardly calm and confident girl, some days she truly missed home. She missed the warmth of her parents and the comfort of her own bedroom and more than that, the easy hideaway that was the many tall bookcases filled with all her treasured books. Here she was in a school far grander than her home and without the reassurances of her parents to keep her confident. She made no friends; it seemed that while she was nice enough and smart beyond the limits of the many in her classes, no Gryffindor's or other houses alike seemed to care much for her kindly attributes. And so she stiffened her shoulders each day and she went on without letting her self-consciousness show. She wouldn't let it get to her.

But it did. Many a night she felt the sting of tears and she clamped them closed tightly. She locked her jaw to stop it from wobbling and she gripped her fists tight so they'd quit their shaking. She muffled what cries did manage to escape in the large pillow of her bed. Each morning though, she'd get right up, do her best to tame her bushy curls, brush her too-large teeth and don her robes as properly as she must. She'd pick up her heavy books and return to classes as if she hadn't a worry on her shoulders at all. And she believed quite strongly that _nobody _noticed her despair. Until one morning when she entered the Common Room, long before any other witch or wizard had arisen, in hopes of getting to breakfast early before she made her way to the library for a few touch ups on her homework that she hoped to look up in time for class.

As she stepped of the girl's stairs, she heard a tongue click.

"Quite a sorry sight, yeah?"

"Indeed."

"All alone, nothing but books and a spine so stiff it's bound to render her useless soon."

"Best loosen her up, I say."

"'Tis our job, brother."

"Yes, yes, can't let her be a spot on our Gryffindor house."

"A spot?" She turned around, her cheeks red with anger. "And just what kind of _spot _do you think I _am_?" she snapped.

They grinned at her and her eyes thinned. The Weasley Twins; yes, they deserved capitals. For if there was any a student that she simple did _not _want to attach her name to in friendship or otherwise it was these two.

"Caught her attention, we did."

"Ah, yes, all in the plan of course."

"Rightly so. I thought she might ignore us a bit longer, but-"

"Right to the point, she is."

"Good."

"Very."

Hermione tapped her foot with irritation. "Can I help you or are you done speaking as if I'm not _here_?"

They were at her sides before she could even blink, lips curled in that annoying smile of theirs. "Just wanna help you out. No need to get uppity."

"Yes, we're very nice chaps, we do promise."

"Oh and I'm supposed to take your word, am I?" She lifted a brow. "The word of two pranksters who don't care _who _they torture this week?"

"Oh we care, of course. Our pranks aren't to be played on just anybody."

"No, no, they're an accomplishment that even you, Granger, would definitely take a great pleasure in learning."

"I think not," she told them swottily, turning her nose up and quickly circling on her heel before she made her way toward the door.

"When you've grown bored of those books and want a couple friends-"

"You know where to find us!"

"We're very amicable, we promise," they called simultaneously.

She scoffed, shaking her head. Holding her book bag a little tighter, she vowed that even if her tomes were her only friends, she'd be absolutely fine.

But she wasn't.

It took one whole month before she admitted defeat. They weren't the type to give up easily either. They took to sitting on either side of her at meals, talking over her head to each other. They interrupted her library time to crack jokes and plan out whole elaborate pranks with her sitting there, pretending not to listen, all the while completely distracted and rather surprised at just how innovative they could be. They followed her to and from classes, almost as if they were her personal guards, even managing to show up out of nowhere when she'd managed to escape their attention. She was certain they had some kind of knowledge of the school that rare others knew of! And as much as she told herself that befriending the twins would be a very, _very _bad idea. The promise of friendship was something she wasn't sure she could pass up. It was lonely being so far from her family and she had nothing really to comfort herself with.

"I think McGonagall might suspect something."

"Doesn't she always?"

They were talking over her head once more.

"Yes, but this time I think she may have proof."

"Gasp, Gred. As if we, in all our glorious talent and brilliance, could leave something behind that might incriminate us."

"Too right, Forge. But I believe this time we may have been slightly distracted."

"Oh that's right... Seems our favorite firstie got herself in a spot of trouble."

"She did, she did! I can't believe it myself, but... What was it again?"

"Stealing goods from the slimy git's special storage room."

Hermione blushed but dutifully kept her eyes on her parchment.

"Right, right, of course. How _could _I forget? And almost getting caught by Mrs. Norris, rooky mistake, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes. Hardly believed my eyes when our brilliant witch was found hurrying her way through the secret passageway, muttering to herself about the abomination that is that cat."

"How _did _she find that secret passageway anyway?"

"I don't know, brother. She's been _very _tightlipped, hasn't she?"

"Quite."

Hermione sighed. "So I may have noticed you using it a time or two and it may have been _slightly_ important at the time and there is a _small _possibility that I needed an escape route when I might've _accidentally _set off a protection charm on Professor Snape's storage closet, but _really_..."

"Yes?" they purred, smirking.

She pursed her lips. "You offered to show them to be anyway."

"Yes, we did."

"When, of course, you finally agreed to be our friend."

She rolled her eyes. "You know, there should be a time limit on how long pranks can last."

"Aghast, brother, she thinks we're playing her."

"Indeed she does."

"And we're not!"

"No!"

She sniffed, disbelieving.

"In all this time she still can't trust us." They stared at her with faux-mourn. "What must we do?"

"What we ask?"

She looked from one to the other and sighed. "You know, I really think it's incredibly cruel of you to pick me out of the entire school to bug like this. I'm nice, you know. I do what I have to. I study and I mind my own business and I've never done anything to either of you. So that you two go out of your way-" She snapped her book shut. "Well-"

Their hands covered her mouth, one over the other.

Her eyes narrowed, glaring at them.

"We're not pranking you." They grinned. "We're offering you a grand opportunity. And a brilliant witch as yourself..." She looked back and forth at their identical looks of innocence. "Well she should surely know that being friends with us and learning all she could would only further those smarts."

She lifted a brow.

"Now, instead of thinking of this as a cruel and poorly constructed plan to prank you..."

"Think of it as a way for you to learn the ways of this world in a very interesting manner not written in any of your books."

Interesting.

Their hands fell away and they stared at her, waiting for her mind to come to some conclusion.

"And what, pray tell, do you think _you _could teach _me_?"

They smirked and she knew she'd just gained her first and second friend.

* * *

**A/N** _Wow... Er, been awhile, yeah? I'm so, sooo sorry. I just... I've had a lot of personal problems I've had to deal with and writing has been put on the backburner for far too long... It's been awhile since I wrote anything... so please be forgiving here. I'm going a new route, this is a Fred/Hermione/George story, not either or. It doesn't delve too deep into the books, I must admit. In any case, I hope you've enjoyed the start here... I already have the majority of this written up, so updates shouldn't be too far off. Also, for those of you wondering about my many other stories, just please give me some time to get back into my writing and I'll try to update as soon as possible!_

_Please review; it's very appreciated!_

_Much Love,  
-**Amanda**_


	2. Part Two

**Summary**: (AU) Hermione Granger's life takes an entirely different path when she enters Hogwarts a year early and is befriended by a couple of pranksters who know something she doesn't that will very much effect their future together.

**Note:** _Giant thanks to Danielle for being the awesome beta she is!_

**_Theirs  
_by**:_ atruwriter_

**Part Two**

Her life was both much easier and much harder from that moment on. Being the friend of George and Fred Weasley was _not _to be taken lightly. They were jokesters and had something up their sleeves at every turn. They could never be outdone but they enjoyed it when others tried. They were full of life and their main mission was to make sure she was insured with her own variety of the same. They carried her many books for her to the library and classes, never making fun except to joke that soon they'd have humps on their backs from the weight of so many. They told her of their plans for a joke shop, sharing each new invention of theirs with her and taking her advice to work out little kinks here or there. They teased her only as friends and never meanly, something she'd never really known of before. They created a bond with her that she'd never experienced in her life. They would always be Fred and George, a separate entity from herself, but they had brought her into their group and opened their arms wide.

"Why?" she once asked them shortly before Christmas hols, in a voice much stronger than the timid query sounded in her head. "Why me? Why did you try so hard just to... To be _friends _with me?"

They looked at her, more affectionate than she expected.

"You're our 'Mione," they said simply with a shrug. "We saw you and we just _knew_." They nodded before batting their eyes over-exaggeratedly. "You _complete _us."

She shook her with a sniff. "Ridiculous; the both of you."

They laughed, wrapping their arms around her in a tight embrace. "Just accept it Granger, you're stuck with us and we're never letting you out of our handsome and brilliant grasp."

She scoffed, breaking away from them. "I could leave anytime I want," she said haughtily, lifting her nose. But both she and they knew she really couldn't.

That Christmas, she was invited over for a small get-together at their home, a place called The Burrow. She was worried and uncomfortable and since she knew they had four other brothers and a sister while she had grown up an old child, it only made her more nervous. But her parents encouraged her to go, happy that she had found a place with the boys that she had written home about in many a letter. They were excited for her that she'd made friends and found her place, even if it was with two troublemakers of their caliber. And she did like them, more than she had ever expected. While every time she turned around, their eyes were bright with mischief and they had yet another trick up theirsleeve, driving her sensible self to the edge of her rope, she couldn't help but love them.

So she arrived at the Burrow via the twins and their father Arthur; a kindly older man who was fascinated with all things Muggle and quickly took a liking to her, her parents, and her house of Muggle objects. The twins had to forcibly drag him back to the fireplace to floo them away to the Burrow. When she arrived, it was in a flurry of action. There was red hair and freckles everywhere, people laughing and cheering and the bright lights of a lopsided tree were glittering from one corner. Seven large stockings hung from the fireplace mantel that she reached back for as she nearly tumbled to the floor, not quite used to this form of travel. Both Fred and George took either of her arms to steady her, grinning widely.

"Mum!" they cried loudly, over the din of the others. "Look what we brought you!"

"Yes, you're very own muggleborn; equipped with brains, sense, and an attitude that keeps trying to put us in our place."

"Trying being the operative word," Hermione muttered.

"Oh!" a round, red-headed woman exclaimed, pushing her way through the crowd to get to them.

"Happy Christmas!" the twins told her, pushing Hermione forward as if she were some kind of gift.

"I've heard so _much _about you!'" she said happily.

The twins sniggered.

She sighed, looking harried. "Tell me, dear, how do you _do _it?"

Huh?

"I mean, that is, how do you manage to put up with them? From all I've heard you're a smart witch, got your head on straight, diligent in school and even _they _agreed they're surprised you've stuck around..." She grinned. "It's always just been the two of them, you see. Why there's Lee, of course, he comes and goes, but never anyone who's caught these two's eyes quite like you have."

"Mu-uuuum," they groaned.

"Oh hush, I'm just saying that she must be special if you went out of your way to befriend her." She hooked her arm with Hermione's. "You are a tiny one, aren't you? Come, I'll get you something to eat and you can tell me _all _about school and how it is putting up with these two day to day. I'm Molly, by the way, but most call me Mrs. Weasley. Either is fine, dear." She dragged her away to the kitchen before Hermione could even get a word in. As she looked back at the twins, they waved, grinning as if they'd planned this.

For the next two hours, she'd be stuffed full, belly ready to burst, by Mrs. Weasley while she wholeheartedly spoke all about life with her seven kids and her lovely husband Arthur. This was, of course, in between her shouting at her many kids to stop doing this or that, to be nice to each other, to quit pulling pranks and to watch their mouths as more than once she'd caught the youngest boy, Ron, using foul language as he fought with someone over his beloved Chudley Cannons, a Quidditch team she knew of only because of the twins. Mrs. Weasley was a very nice woman and while she seemed to never stop chastising her children, Hermione could tell that she loved each of them more than anything.

The house was loud, quite a mess but a lived in one that she found acceptable, and not at all like her own clean and quiet house with her parents. There was always one or two red heads popping in and out of the kitchen, picking at this or that to eat and complimenting their mum in hopes of getting a sweet treat. She'd tut at them each time, sending them away and share a conspiratorial wink with Hermione before they'd share a cookie. She quite enjoyed just sitting there, away from the more excitable crowd in the living room. But just as she was thinking so, Mrs. Weasley was sure to shoo her away. "I've been taking up your whole visit, dear," she said with a grin. "Best send you off to the twins or they'll whine to me later. And at least with you I know they won't get into _too _much trouble."

_Don't count on it_, she thought. While she had, of course, tried to talk the twins out of many a prank and mischief making, she hadn't been successful. In fact, they seemed to enjoy her reprimands and only tried harder, watching for her reaction to it all.

"Oh I'm sure they won't mind," she said, a little uneasy at the prospect of going out into the party.

"Nonsense. They've been talking about your visit all hols. I heard them, of course. They don't confide in their old mum like they used to." She shrugged before waving Hermione away with a spatula and getting back to her cooking.

With a sigh and a stiffened, resolved spine, she tentatively took a step out of the kitchen and into the living room, eyeing up the others rather nervously.

"You the twin's girl then?" a cheerful voice called out.

She turned abruptly only to raise her chin quite high to see the speaker. A tall chap, long red hair in a pony tail and amused brown eyes stared back. "Is that a _fang_?" she said, eyes catching on his ear.

He grinned widely. "Yup."

She nodded rather dumbly. He was incredibly tall, slim, and was dressed much like she would think a rockstar would, not something she ever really expected in the Wizarding world. But he had the twins smile and so she didn't judge. "And yes, I'm the twin's friend. Not their _girl_, as you put it," she said strongly.

He laughed. "You'd have to be pretty confident to be their friend, so I guess I see the reason now. Any idea where my two fun-loving brothers went off to?"

"No. I've just spent most of my time with your mother, actually. Hardly seen them." She frowned.

"No worries, kid. We'll find 'em." While she found his reference to her as 'kid' rather rude, his voice was oddly warm and comforting, like an older brother might sound. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and started weaving them through the crowd. "Name's Bill by the way," he said to her, loud to get over the noise.

"Hermione," she told him, raising her own voice to be heard.

He nodded. "I'd say look for a couple of red-heads but I s'pose that doesn't help us out much here, does it?" He gave her another grin and she chuckled lightly. "Well, there's my brother Charlie, you met him yet?"

She shook her head no, not bothering to tell him she didn't really want to as she'd much rather find her friends as she knew it would be quite impolite, and so she let him drag her over to the other man, much shorter than the tall figure Bill made. Charlie was stocky and covered in so many freckles it looked like a permanent tan. He had the bright red hair that it seemed all Weasleys bore and his grin was a little more crooked than the twins but just as warm. He held out a large hand. "The twin's girl, yeah?"

She sighed at the term and didn't miss Bill's amused smile. "Friend," she corrected. "I'm their _friend_."

Charlie and Bill exchanged a look and a light laugh. She shook his hand politely and then returned her hands to their clasped state in front of her.

"You work with dragons?" she asked, remembering the twins monologue about their family, of which they were obviously quite proud.

Charlie's eyes lit up. "Yeah, over in Romania. You ever been?"

She shook her head. "How many dragons would you say were in your care?" she queried.

"A good dozen, at least. Why?" His brow furrowed.

"Just curious is all." She lifted a shoulder. "I'm quite fascinated by the magical creatures here. I am a little uncertain about their housing though. Most have been kept in captivity, much like a Muggle zoo. But then I suppose it must be quite important as you wouldn't want to frighten the Muggles or endanger the magical. Would you agree that the dragons are well taken care of at the reserve or do you think it would be in their best interest that they were free?"

He lifted a brow. "Smart bird, huh? I think the dragons are happy. Happier than they'd be if we let 'em go and they got themselves killed just for being..." He quirked a smile. "I'll give it some more thought though, how 'bout that?" He lifted a brow. "I have a feeling you'll be around a lot and we can definitely continue this conversation again."

She nodded, smiling, looking quite forward to it. She frowned a moment later, however. "You haven't, by chance, _seen _Fred or George, have you?"

He looked around and then shook his head. "Probably around here somewhere, causing trouble I'm sure."

She sighed. "Yes, that was what I was afraid of." She turned around. "I better go find them before the house is inside out and our genders are switched."

They stared at her wide-eyed.

"It's not so unbelievable," she told them. "You'd be surprised what you start to think can happen after awhile with those two..." She thinned her eyes suspiciously.

They laughed, shaking their heads. "You're a keeper," they agreed.

Whatever that meant.

Looking at them queerly, she turned on her heel to look for her two non-rule-abiding friends. Instead, she bumped into a young girl, perhaps two years her junior with the same bright hair and big brown eyes. She was muttering under her breath as she left her seat where someone who appeared to be related to her was grinning proudly as he sat in front of a chess board.

"Oh! Sorry," the younger girl said, looking her up and down. "You must be Hermione!" she suddenly exclaimed. "The-"

"Please don't call me the twin's _girl_," she interrupted.

She laughed. "I'm Ginny."

Hermione nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Ginny's brow furrowed before she shook her head. "Are you looking for them then?"

"Yes..." She sighed heavily. "Seems I've seen almost every Weasley _but _them..."

"You've met Ron then?" She quirked her head back toward the boy in front of the chess board. "Take my advice and _don't _play him. He loves to _gloat _that one." She blew out a breath of irritation. "Never played so much chess in my life and I don't plan to ever again." She crossed her arms over her chest grumpily before looking up at Hermione rather sheepishly. "I think the boys are upstairs. Probably planning something that'll shock the pants off of everybody, not literally I hope." She giggled before she spotted someone and hurried off.

Hermione turned toward the stairs and started to climb them rather nervously. She didn't want to go parading around a house she didn't really know or walk into a room that she shouldn't. But she couldn't very well stay downstairs all night with nothing and no one to spend her time with. The other Weasleys were all very pleasant of course, but she'd really only come for her friends. So she went upstairs and began searching, calling their names earnestly and hoping they'd appear soon, even if they jumped out of a door and scared her like they were so apt to do lately.

She heard muffled noises coming from a room and after much deliberation, she finally knocked. It took quite some time before somebody finally opened the door, looking very annoyed that he had to in the first place and she was sorry to see it _wasn't _the twins but instead Percy, who she had only seen and never met at Hogwarts. "Yes?" he asked, readjusting his glasses on his upturned nose.

"I, er, was looking for Fred and George and Ginny said they might be upstairs... I'm sorry to bother you, I didn't mean to-"

"There; that door," he said, pointing and before she could thank him, he shut the door quite rudely in her face.

With a frown, she talked herself out of sticking her tongue out and turned to walk to the other day where no noises were coming from. She knocked once, no answer, twice, still nothing, three times and she was about to give up before the door opened and she was dragged inside quite suddenly. She shook their hands off her arms huffily and put her hands on her hips. "And just _when _were you going to come find me?" she asked, irritated.

"Knew you'd come looking for us, love."

"So if we went looking for you-"

"While you were looking for us-"

"Then nobody would be found!" they exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes before moving to sit down on one of their beds. "I've met nearly your entire family, I believe. I spotted Ron rather than met him, but that's beside the point."

"Ah, you don't need to meet him anyway," George joked, sitting down on her left. "You didn't happen to bring us any of our mum's delicious treats, did you?"

"Why ever would I do that?" she asked innocently. "She's been ever so nice while you two have barely spoken a few sentences to me."

"Come on, Mione," Fred implored, sitting down on her other side. "You know us; we were just giving you some time to get used to all the red hair."

George smirked. "Bit of an eye-sore, yeah?"

She chortled but withdrew the napkin filled with goodies for them anyway. "Here you are, not that you two deserve them..." She lifted her brows.

They took their sweets from her excitedly, quickly stuffing their mouths.

"You havin' fun?"

She shrugged, not really sure _what _she was feeling.

"Lot of us, huh?"

She nodded.

"Not to worry." They wrapped their arms around her. "You got us here and nobody messes with our girl."

She shook her head. Curious that she didn't correct _them_, she would think later.

* * *

**A/N** _Sorry for how late this came out, I wanted to touch it up a bit and make sure it was really ready for posting... Hope you enjoyed this, I'm really starting to get back into the hang of this... I think the next chapter is much better; I'm enjoying writing the twin's antics and I hope you're enjoying reading them!_

_Thanks for reading! Please review; it's very appreciated!_  
_Much Love,  
-**Amanda**_


	3. Part Three

**Summary**: (AU) Hermione Granger's life takes an entirely different path when she enters Hogwarts a year early and is befriended by a couple of pranksters who know something she doesn't that will very much effect their future together.

**_Theirs_**  
**by**: _atruwriter_

**Part Three**

_"_Granger!" a voice called out loudly, drawing Hermione's eyes up to an open window. Lee Jordan grinned back at her. "I've got two fantastically enormous gits here waiting for your all too exciting blather. Come join us before they go looking for you and get lost..."

Smiling, she nodded to him before hauling her suitcase up into her arms and walking toward the train. Her parents had already said goodbye, kissing and hugging her tightly. She'd be lying if she said she didn't miss them already but Christmas was over and it was back to Hogwarts. She'd also be lying if she said she wasn't excited to be returning. While Fred and George might not be jumping for joy over exams and long rolls of parchment filled with essays, she surely was.

Upon opening the door to their compartment, she was met with the loud exclamation of some sort of noisemaker that both Fred and George were sporting in their mouths. "Happy New Year!" they shouted, jumping up and down on their seats.

"Oh _really_!" she said, eyes wide. "You're bound to get us kicked off the train before it even starts _moving_," she told them, despite her tugging smile.

Grinning, they ignored her and took up her suitcase to put above.

She sat down next to Lee who was currently face-planted in a Quidditch magazine. She was well aware of his fancy for announcing each game and while she wasn't an avid watcher or player, she did think he had quite the passion for it. Given that he was another good friend of her twins, she did see him quite often, but the bond she'd grown with Fred and George never really grew between her and Lee.

"Is that the latest edition?" she wondered.

He nodded, glancing up. "I'd ask if you want to look but you're only trying to be nice."

She grinned. If there was anything about Lee that she truly admired, it was his bold honesty.

"All right then, quit ignoring us. Tell us all about your Muggle hols," George told her.

"Yeah, anything ridiculously wonderful happen?"

"You mean like how at your house there always seems to be _something _exploding or backfiring or turning backwards..." She quirked a brow. "Given that I don't have two mischief-making twins living in my home, it was all very nice and quiet. No unnecessary noise at all."

They dramatically faked aghast expressions. "However did she survive?"

"Never, _never _will we allow her to go through it again!"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "It was a nice break from the chaos," she affirmed, lifting her chin haughtily.

"But...?" they drawled expectant and knowing.

She sighed, smiling. "But I did miss your unruliness just slightly."

They nodded. "Of course you did."

"Our unruliness is very worthy of missing."

"Indeed."

"Wouldn't you say, Lee?"

"Terribly worthy."

"Right."

"Quite."

"Yes, yes, now who wants a chocolate frog to shut them up?" she asked wonderingly.

"Me! Me! Him! And him! And me!" the twins chorused, pointing back and forth from each other to Lee.

Laughing, Hermione knew she was in for a great beginning to the new year.

...

She was right.

Fred and George were never far from sight; she was unmistakably the third part of them. While she couldn't quite finish their sentences, she could always be seen standing center between them. She knew what they were thinking just by the glimmer in their eyes, she was never left out of a prank whether she disapproved or not, and she was quite possibly their most treasured friend just as they were to her.

"We could always-"

Hermione huffed, eyes wide with warning. "No."

"And then just-"

"Absolutely _not_."

"She's right... It would never work... We'll need-"

She snapped her book shut. "If I'm expelled for this... I'll kill you both, resurrect you and kill you again." She lifted her chin. "Now, if we're going to do anything of the caliber you're thinking, we'll need a _lot _more planning..." She reached into her book bag then and drew out a thick tome. "And this is _just _the information we'll need."

Fred and George exchanged looks before dramatically wiping a fake tear from their eyes. "I told you!"

"No, I told _you_!"

They grinned at her. "She's absolutely perfect for this!" they chimed together.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Back to business, boys!"

They eagerly leaned over her shoulders to see what she might have found.

...

While she may not _agree _with all of their mischief, she felt it was her honest duty to make sure that if they _did _do something so 'wrong' it was best they did it properly and without harm to others. So, while the professors might not see it her way, she had convinced herself that she was really only looking out for everybody's wellbeing. Which helped, considering some of their pranks and potions brewing for fun had caused just enough havoc to have everybody on their toes.

"Dear Merlin, George, you're _bald_!"

"I am _not! _You are!"

George's hands immediately reached for his head only to find that every previously bright and red hair that had sprouted there was now gone. Slowly, his shock turned to mirth and both he and Fred burst into raucous laughter. The tapping of a foot, however, made them stop, and they both turned slowly to find a bald and incensed Hermione Granger staring back at them. They bit their lips tightly to stop their chortles.

"I _told _you not to add that," she said through clenched teeth.

"Well I think... It's really quite fetching," George managed through a grin.

"Yes... Truly... It's..."

"You have until the count of five," she warned, reaching for her wand.

"Running?"

"Quickly!"

They were gone in a flash of bald heads and Hermione was kind enough to give them until seven before she chased after them, wand at the ready, and all her knowledge from both books and them just waiting at the end of her wand.

While they laughed in amusement and ran for their lives, they also knew that she may take her revenge, but it would all be in good fun. And later, after a hair-growth potion from Madame Pomfrey, they'd laugh about it in the common room over smuggled butterbeer and their stash of chocolate frogs.

...

This day arrived far too often for her liking. Not only was it Fred and George's birthday but it was also her most hated holiday... April Fool's. It was, perhaps, the only day she didn't call them out on their behavior. She wanted to, mind you, but she was able to hold her tongue. She made a vow that first year that she would let them do whatever they like, so long as nobody was truly harmed and they didn't pull it on _her_. And with fingers crossed behind their backs, they agreed to her rules. Which, of course, _had _to be broken.

That April Fool's was the first of many she would spend rubbing her temples while simultaneously still suffering from the ache in her sides over all the laughter. At breakfast, she eyed her food warily. Throughout classes, she checked under desks, the bottom of her stool, even cast _Finite Incantatem_ on her quills, parchment and ink well. But, there was no explosion, no hidden trick or treat, nothing. She knew they were up to something; they were whispering behind their hands and casting mischievous looks around the room.

And by lunch, she was more than a little suspicious. There had been no boom, no bang, no cries of laughter or humiliation and she was looking around every corner, examining every nook and cranny for what might come out, only to find nothing but what the other students had going on, much less exciting than whatever the twins might cook up. But then it happened, with a brilliant array of lights, fireworks blasting in the air of all colors, and the twin's familiar writing scrawled above the four house tables that dinner.

_Happy Pranking, fellow students_, it read only to explode into red and reappear as _And Happy Birthday to us_...She glanced at the twins with narrowed eyes but they only winked and redirected their gaze to the display above.

_For your gifts and your treasures and your pranking pleasures, we offer you this in response..._

She wondered suddenly if she had time to cast some sort of safety charm...

Too late.

There was a brilliant bang before suddenly the colors in the sky turned orange and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. All was quiet, waiting, wondering, and then...

"Ow!"

"Ouch!"

"What the-"

"Professor McGonaga-ahhhhh!"

Looking left and right, forward and backward, Hermione could see students all around her hopping in their seats as if they were being pinched or zapped from their places. Hopping and shouting, they leapt from their benches but it didn't cure what ailed them. She was just about to turn her disapproving gaze on the twins when suddenly the entire Slytherin table rose from the bench and began hooting and hollering, pointing at one another as they were all dressed in pink tutus and each word out of their mouths was the lyrics to _I'm a Little Teapot_... She covered her mouth with her hands, hoping she looked surprised and not amused. And then the Hufflepuffs were square-dancing and the Ravenclaws were trying to balance stacks of books on their heads while standing on one foot. Lastly, the Gryffindors were challenging each other to every single thing under the moon.

"I'll outdraw anybody!"

"Outdraw? Well I'll outeat them over a table of chocolate frogs..."

"Yeah? Well I'll eat every page of this book right here and-"

"You put that book down right this minute," Hermione shouted, angrily.

"But I haven't won yet!" the boy told her, stomping his foot.

"George, Fred!"

"It'll wear off, 'Mione..."

"Before the paper makes him sick at least."

"If he eats even _one page_..."

"Oh, come on... Just a little fun?"

"I think you've had quite enough..." She gestured to the Great Hall, filled with dancing and singing and balancing books, with Gryffindors stuffing their faces with chocolate frogs and trying to out hand-walk each other across the tables. McGonagall was already shouting for relief and Dumbledore was enjoying the display, clapping his hands before he stepped down to see if he too could balance six books atop his head.

"This is chaos," she muttered.

"Ah yes, beautiful, wonderful-"

"Utter and complete-"

"Chaos," the twins murmured delightfully.

"One day out of the year," she muttered, shaking her head. "Just one day."

Grinning, they wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Enjoy it while you can, we'll be spending the rest of the year in detention."

She sighed, knowing they were right. Especially when McGonagall turned her aggravated eyes on the trio, two of which were grinning while the other was sighing with resignation.

...

By the end of her first year, she had been opened to a new world far more brilliant that the Wizarding one itself, but instead explored the new friendships she had and enjoyed every moment of it, including, even, detention. Returning home was something she wasn't sure she was ready to do, almost scared that when she returned the twins would no longer have the same interest in her. But throughout the summer, they exchanged many an owl sent letter. Fred and George were sure to keep her updated on their latest pranks and the many lectures and punishments to be handed out by their parents when they were figured out. She wasn't able to see them until she went to Diagon Alley to get her books for second year and sought them out as quickly as she could.

"Mione!" they cried, drawing her into a bear hug.

"Wasn't sure you were gonna show!" she said rather quietly before pulling back and squaring her shoulders to hide the lingering insecurity inside her. "I've been looking _all _over for you. I thought we had plans to meet at Fortescue's but when I arrived _neither_ of you were in sight and so I began searching after a half hour and-"

They laughed, shaking their heads as she ranted on and on.

"Our lovely swot is back with us, brother."

"Yes, it was incredibly lonesome without her lectures, wouldn't you say?"

"Morosely so."

"-But were you there? No, of _course _not! So then I decided to check the Quidditch store and-"

Hooking an arm with each of hers, they directed her toward Fortescue's, nodding along to her rant. There was really nothing more they could do but enjoy the familiarity and though she continued to complain, inside she was just giddy to have them back where they belonged; on either side of her. Second year was already beginning to look brilliant.

* * *

**A/N** _Well, today is a good day. Not only am I able to post Part Three, but my dog, which went missing yesterday, has been FOUND! Cheyenne (four month old rotti) managed to pull her yard leash right out of the ground and tried to follow me to the movies. (sigh) She must've got scared at the traffic though and stopped somewhere familiar to wait for me, judging by a helpful phonecall by someone who spotted her. When I got home, she was gone, and I had no idea what happened so I spent hours searching for her, calling radio stations and animal shelters and finally, this morning, we talked to CRD who has her there and we'll be picking her back up today. (phew!) So, a good day! _

_Hope you enjoyed this. Please review; it's greatly appreciated!_

_Much Love,  
-**Amanda**_


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